2017 was an odd year for pop music, as so many of the biggest names in the business didn’t rise on the charts and stay there like they usually do. Some truly flopped, while others simply didn’t rule in the same way they’ve become used to. That gap allowed new names to break through, and that could happen again in 2018. Since a number of major players released new records in either late 2016 or in 2017—Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and plenty of others—they aren’t expected to return next year, opening the slate for other talents.
Camila Cabello
After leaving Fifth Harmony late last year, 2017 has been particularly busy for Camila Cabello, and 2018 is shaping up to be even bigger. The former girl group member was initially planning on dropping her solo debut album in the fall, but after lead single “Crying In The Club” ended up being something of a flop, she and her team had to go back to the drawing board and try again. Follow-up single “Havana” took over the world, and her newly-renamed record (it’s now just Camila) is now ready for primetime, and it’s set to be released in January.
Selena Gomez
2017 didn’t produce an album from the singer and actress, but she did manage to release a fair amount of music in the past year. She scored four Top 40 hits in the U.S., including a pair of top 20’s and even a top 10 hit with Kygo’s “It Ain’t Me.” With that much music already out, it’s actually pretty strange that she hasn’t at least talked more openly about timing for an album, but it’s clearly on its way.
Christina Aguilera
Xtina was on this same list last year, but no album appeared, so here she is again. Has anything been confirmed for 2018? No, but with every month that goes by, it’s more and more difficult to believe she’s not gearing up to release something. By the time she does drop a full-length, it may be six years since her semi-ill-fated Lotus, so hopefully she makes it worth the wait. The singer has been busy with projects on the large and small screen, but hopefully, she’ll return to the medium that made her a star in the first place very soon.
Jason Derulo
After releasing the most successful album of his career in 2014, Tattoos, Derulo returned in 2015 with a quick follow-up entitled Everything Is 4. While it did spin off a top 10 hit, the record did sound a bit rushed, and it didn’t perform quite as well as its predecessor. It seems like that disappointment resonated with the pop singer, and he’s taken his time crafting another record full of hits. Sadly, lead 777 (what he’s decided to call his next project) single “Swalla” only made it to No. 29 in the U.S., and follow-ups “If I’m Lucky” and “Tip Toe” both failed to chart completely. If he wants to see his new album do well, he’s going to need to take a little bit more time to fix things.
Avril Lavigne
The past few years have been rough for Avril Lavigne, who has been struggling with health issues and switching record labels, but 2018 will hopefully finally see her return to the pop world. Her last album, 2013’s self-titled effort, was moderately successful, and fans have been begging for more. It will be interesting to see if she decides to stick with her signature brand of pop-punk-like radio-ready tunes, or if she goes in a more electronic direction, which she has experimented with lately as a featured guest on singles fronted by other acts.
Charlie Puth
After hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100 on his first try with his Wiz Khalifa collaboration “See You Again,” Charlie Puth was off and running, and his debut album didn’t disappoint. When promotion of that full-length subsided, he only waited a few months before releasing “Attention,” the first single off of Voicenotes, which is scheduled to drop on January 19. That first song made it all the way to No. 5 in the U.S., making it his highest-charting solo single, and follow-up “How Long” also wasted no time in becoming a Top 40 hit.
Meghan Trainor
The promotion surrounding Trainor’s sophomore album Thank You didn’t last nearly as long as the campaign dedicated to her debut, but it was still successful. In mid-2017, the Best New Artist Grammy winner revealed in interviews that she expected her third record to drop in late 2017. That obviously didn’t happen, but it means she likely has much of it done, so new tunes from the “Me Too” singer could arrive any day now.
Keep An Ear Out For
Australian dance goddess Kylie Minogue has reportedly signed a new record deal, and that means a new album at some point in 2018 is likely. In another part of the world, British favorite Lily Allen has just recently released a new song, and while it didn’t make much of an impact upon arrival, she’s clearly in the studio working on new material. It has now been four years since recent Broadway champion Sara Bareilles gave her fans a proper record, and while she has been busy with other projects, she knows she can’t stay away too long. Relative newcomers like Bebe Rexha and Noah Cyrus should also finally release their proper full-lengths, hopefully establishing them as stars to watch. Also, nothing has been stated, but isn’t it time for the Black Eyed Peas to conquer radio once again?
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